Method and apparatus for flowing or pumping wells



April l5, 1930. R. M. HASKELL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLOWING 0RPUMPING WEL Filed Aug. 5. 1927 4 SheetsSheet Arm/mfr IIIIIIIII lll lllllllillllrfllll Il., ,.illlllv ndlil;

April 15, 1930.

R. M. HAsKx-:LL

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLOWING 0R PUHPING WELLS Filed Aug. 5, 1927 4Sheets-Sheet 2 a zo 9 April l5, 1930.

R. M. HASKELL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLOWING OR PUMPING WELLS FiledAug. 5, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY pril l5, 1930. R. M. HAsKELl.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLOWING 0R PUMPING WEL Filed Aug. 5, 1927 4Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY the escape of the gas cessation or decrease inoutiiow of gas,

bleeding into the well vthe operatingor the same way as 4 road aspect,therefore, the aeriform pressure to the sand and enterin the samemanner, or com ressed 5 novelty will now be described.

Patented Apr. 15, 1930 RIC'HARD IMI. HASKELL, Ol' BRADFORD,

FOURTHS T0 TIDE WATER RATION 0F NEW JERSEY EETHOD Application tiledAugust 5,

The invention relates to automatic welliowing systems, and the object isto provide a sim le and effective plan, which is susceptible o numerousembodiments and modes of 5 execution. The invention makes it possible toAutilize in a novel manner the flow of natural gas which ordinarilyaccompanies or urges the How of petroleum to the shot-hole of an oilwell. According to the invention vfrom the well, regulated by theheading up of the oil in the well, is employed to control an aeriformflowing medium, which from time to time flows the accumulated liquid outof the well` Thus, a or the drop in pressure consequent thereto,resulting from the rise'o liquid to a height which closes an exit,causes the turning on of' the fiowing medium. The path of escape of the2 gas or operating medium remains closed during the flowing period, andis thereafter automatically reo ened.

The invention is also applicable to wells deficient in gas pressure orhaving no gas, by some of the iowing medium to serve as an operatingmedium in the same general manner. Similarly, compressed air or gas fromany -source may be released Into the well from above to act as control'medium.

The operatin medium may also be compressed air or ot er gas'applied toan area of an oil field through certain wells-therein, for driving orinducingthe flow of liquid to 35 other wells known as yenting wells,such air entering the venting wells with the liquid in naturalgasoccurring wit petroleum in a field in which the natural ressure has notAbeen exhausted. ,.In the` operating medium employed maybe natural gasenterin the shot-hole from the oil-bearing sand, `rair or`gasartificially applied underl the well in air or .gas bled into the wellfrom t e surface of the' Various forms of theinvention, involvin dierent-features of generic and spec' c OIL COMPANY, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY,

surrounding h 14 adapted to be acted upon by liquid PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOB Ol' A CORPO- AND APPARATUS FOB FLO'WING 0B YUMIING WELLS 1927.Serial Nog, $10,799.

THREE- s In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof: 1

Figs. 1 to 4 illustrate schematically four forms or modes of executionof the invention, the views being partly in section and partly inelevation, intermediate -portions of the wells of indefinite extentbeing broken out.

Figure 1 The numeral 2 designates the well casing extending down to theshot-hole 3 in the oilbearing sand. The to 4 of the casing is closed. Adischarge tu e 5 extends throu h the closed top of the casing, where atig t joint is made, downward through the center of the casing to thelower part of the shothole.` A discharge branch 6 is joined to thevertical portion of the discharge tube above the casing, and contains acheck-valve 7 below an upwardly extending leg 8, in order to su port andmaintain a column of liquid in this part of the discharge conduit, for apurpose which will later appear.

The vertical portion of the discharge tube 5 is preferably extendedabove the discharge branch 6, an is closed at the top. In this portionof the tube there is a valve seat 9 a port which is adapted to be closedby a-valve 10. A pipe 11 is connected with the upper portion of the tube5 above the valve seat 9, and contains a checir-v'alve 12 iwhich opensaway from the discharge tube and closes toward it.

The valve 10 is on a rod 13, ap ropriately guided -and extending downwarfor some distance in the tube 5, this rod bearin vanes owing up the tubeso as to hold the valve 10 closed against the seat 9. At the end of theflow, when the expelling air reaches the vanes 14, the smaller momentumof the air does not sustain the-rod 13 with the raised position, and thevalve consequently drops away from the valve seat 9: Other means may beemplcved having a like eect. o

the valvea'nd vanes in closing the air conduit. The line enters theupper part of the well casing, and when the valve 17 is opened the airpressure is admitted to the well and acts upon the surface of the liquidpresent, so as to drive it up the discharge tube 5. In addition, thistube is provided with suitable openings 18, at different heights, andthe air entering these openings assists to raise the liquid either bylightening the column or by breaking it up into slugs, or in any otherknown manner. Thepwell vis thus pumped or fiowed by the u conjointaction of air displacement and some hole, where its the constriction 21,

`and out by way-ofthe p cause of the fact .that the 'Vcheckfvalve 1,7 uis charge tube form of air lift in whichair is introduced into thecolumn of liquid. However, the invention is not necessarily limited inthis respect, and the liquid may be flowed by displacement alone or bysome form of air lift without displacement.

A regulator pipe 19 extends through the top 4 and downward within thecasing 2 to a point near, or somewhat above, the shotopen lower endis'commanded by a suitable float valve 20, which is adapted to be closedby a predetermined rise in the liquid level, and to be held closed bythe pressure of the flowing medium when the latter is admitted to theWell. This pipe or conduit at a point outside'the well is constricted toa small aperture,' as by means of a needle valve 21. At a point betweenthis constriction and the well,`a branch 22 is taken ofi" from theregulator pipeand connected with a diaphragm or piston chamber 23 thediaphragm or piston 24 in this chamber being connected with the stem 25of thevalve 17 A weight 26 or a spring acts 'upon the valve 17 to openit. i

' The pipe ,11 heretofore referred to is connected with the branch 22. l

While the liquid is heading up in the well, the natural gas, which alsoenters the shothole from the oil-bearing' strata, finds an escapethnough vthe regulator pipe 19vand past which maintains a suitableback-pressurev in the regulatorvv pipe. This back-pressure' iscommunicated :through the branch 22 to the diaphragm chamber 23,

` where it acts upon the diaphragm so as to hold the air valve.17closed. The gas passing the needle valve 21 might be discharged toatmosphere, though for-economy the outer portion ofthe regulator pipe ispreferably either connected with the outer 'portion of the dischargebranch 6 or withapparatu's for treating or utilizing the gas. The gascan not escape-fromthe well through the openings 18 Vli'sc'hargel tubel:beheld 'closed withsufcient 'force'fkby'the superincu'mbentcolumno'fliquidf Thepipe 11'is provided'with anl automatic determine pressure.actingV from vthe/dis- 5 toward 'the tlOIL main air valve 17 is now ano'il well lacking or' lTo"me'etsuch a ''shownlconnected with valve12 caable of opening to a sufiicient pre- PPe 223 but. clvsing against flowor pressure in the opposite direc- This check-valve is normally heldclosed by a spring or weight 33, adjusted to a sufficient value so thatafter the Boat valve 2O is closed by the rise of liquid in the well, anyrise in pressure in the interior of the tube 5 that may take placebefore the flow of the liquid reaches the vanes 14 and closes the valve10 cannot open the valve 12 and act on the diaphragm 24 to bringaboutprema ture closing of the main valve 17.

When the liquid rises in the well to a point at or somewhat below itsnatural level, or to such point as it may be most economical andadvantageous to allow the liquid to head up before flowing it out of thewell, the fioat valve 20 is automatically closed against its seat at thelower end of the regulator pipe 19, thereby cutting olf.. furtheroutflow of gas through this pipe and causing the pressure in the pipes19 and 22 and in the diaphragm chamber 23 to fall as the gas inthe pipecontinues to leak past the constriction 21. The automatically opened andthe compressed air or other gaseous or aeriform medium is turned on intothe closed well through the pipe 15, so as to flow the accumulatedliquid out throu the pipe 5. This pressure holds the va ve 20 closed.While the liquid is fiowing through this discharge pipe, its momentumacts upon the vanes 14 so as to close the valve 10 and hold it closed.When the air following the liquid reaches the upper part of the tube 5,its

`momentum is insufcient to hold the valve 10 accordingly dropsopen,

closed, and this valve the rod 13 and vanes 14 being heavyA enough toinsure this, permitting the pressure of the fiowing medium to actthrough the pipe 11 and past the check-valve 12. This pressure acts uponthe diaphragm 24 so as to close the air valve 17, and also actsdownwardly inthe `is drilled will not have enough pressure either ofnatural l gasv or of.' air or other gas artificially v iin/posed uponvthe strata, to serve as the operating', medium. :Such would be4the'case, for eXainple,`--in".a water deficient pressure. condition'aP`v by-pass :27l 'is Y the 'Howling-medium I pipe-15 around thevalve'17,N this by-pass'con- .v taininga needle valve regulator pipe 19s'o as tounseat'the fioat valve v 28 whichcanbe setto. I tallow ofa'constantleakage of fowing medium into the well. This leakage offlowing medium into the well either supplements the deficient pressureentering the shot-hole or takes the plate of such ressure. Such ortionofthe flowing me ium introduced into the well serves as an operatingmedium, passing through the regulator pipe 19 as long as the float valve20 remains open, and causin the flowing medium valve 17 to stay closeuntil the path of escape through the regulaclosed by the rise of theliquid, whereupon in condition in the regulator pipe is utilized tocause the opening of the valve 17.

It will be understood that-the flowing medium may be air or gas, or amixture of air and gas. It may be termed, generally, an aeriform fluidor medium.

Fz'gm'e 2 In the method and apparatus here illustrated the dischargepipe or tube 5 is of larger diameter and has an enlarged lower portion29. The regulator pipe 19 extends downward within the tube 5" and has afloat valve 20* at its lower end within the upper portion of theenlargement 29. This valve is adapted to be held closed by the action ofliquid flowing past it through the discharge tube 5, but to drop openwhen the air or other flowing medium following the liquid reaches it,the momentum of the flowing medium being insufficient to hold the valveclosed. The upper portion of the regulator pipe 19a is shown connectedwith the inlet opening of a piston chamber 23, the outer portion of theregulator ipe extending from the outletof this cham er and bein providedwith a needle valve or constricte aperture 2l.

While the liquid is heading u the gas or other operating medi throughthe regulator pipe 19, its pressure is sufficiently chamber 23, theflowing medium valve 17 connected with the piston 24:a remains closed.lVhen the rise of the liquid in the shot-hole and in the lower portion29 of the discharge tube closes the float valve 20, the drop in flow orpressure throu h the regulator pipe and through the cham er 23 causes orpermits the valve 17 to o en and the owin medium flows the liqui out ofthe well. spring 26* is shown for opening the valve 17.

When the flowing medium has displaced the liquid and reaches the floatvalve 20?, this valve is caused to open and the pressure -of the flowingmedium, acting through the regulator pipe 19, causes the valve 17 toclose. The remaining excess of flowing pressure in the well leaks outthrough the openings 18 and through the regulator pipe, and the liquidand operating medium again enter the shot-hole.

As in the other form, a by-pass .27 and in the well um escapes and aslong as the valve 1 38 being connected maintained in the y constantleakage valve or aperture 2 8 may be provided to supply operating mediumto the well from the ressure in the flowing medium line 15 at t ecompressor side of the valve 17.

Figure 3 A regulator pipe 19b is adapted to be closed at its lower endby a float valve 20, which, however, might be omitted. In the upper partof the regulator pipe there is one of the low-pressure highressurevalves 31. The valve member 34 oi) this valve is acted upon by a spring35 to hold it away from its s eat 36 against low or moderate pressureacting from the pipe 19b toward the chamber 23, but to be closed bycomparatively high pressure acting in this direction. From this valvethe regulator pipe proceeds to the inlet of a piston chamber 23, theoutlet from this chamber being constricted at 21 so as to hol a desiredback-pressure of operating medium. The flowin medium line 15, at a pointbeyond is branched, one branch 37 opening into the well casing 2 and theother branch with the yregulator pipe 19b at a point above or beyond acheck-valve In other words the branch 38 `connects with the regulatorpipe at a point between this 'check-valveand the lowpressurehigh-pressure valve 31. The checkvalve 39 is arranged to open topressure or flow acting upwardly through the regulator pipe 19b and toclose to pressure acting in the reverse direction.

While the liquid heads up in the well, operating fluid, which enters theshot-hole from the surrounding strata escapes through the regulator pipe19", past the check valve 39 and the low-pressure highvpressure valve 31into the piston chamber 23", where its back pressure acts upon the iston24EL to hold the main pressure valve 1 closed. When the liquid riseshigh enough to close the float valve 20 or to rise above the lower endof the regulator pipe 19", the outflow of the operating medium is cutoff, with the result that the valve 17 is caused to open. Thehighpressure flowing medium is then admitted to the interior of the wellthrough the branch 37. Through the branch 38 and the upper portion ofthe regulator pipe it also acts upon the low-pressure high-pressurevalve 31, closing this valve instantly so that the high 39 in this pipe.

pressure can not reach the chamber 23"L toA branch 38, past thelow-pressure hi h-presthe piston 24', thus closing the valve 17. Thesure valve, to vthe operating cham er 23", flowing medium remaining inthe chamber 49 where it causes the closing of the valve 17.

Figure 4 This is a design suitable more particularly for wells in sandtoo soft to withstand the flowing pressure if shot-hole. Accord ingly,an enclosed volume chamber 49 is disposed in the shot-hole, this chamberhaving an automatic yinlet valve 50 at the bottom. The upper end of thechamber communicates with the lower end of an air tube 51, by which thevolume chamber may be supported. The air tube 51 extends upward throughthe closed top of the casing 5 2 and is connected above the latter withthe flowing medium line 15. The discharge tube 5 passes centrallythrough the length of the air tube 51, and downward within the volumechamber 49 to a point thereof, this tube being provided with openings 18and with a check-valve 7 above the highest of these openings.

49 to a sufiiciently low point therein. A float valve 52 is arranged toclose the lower long as there is a suitable level of liquid in the volcomparatively low level. 19f also has an inlet 53 above and outside ofthe .volume chamber 49, this inlet being confloat valve 54 adapted to beclosed by the llquid when it reaches this level in the chamber falls hislevel. The regulator pipe 19t is connected with the piston chamber 23,the outlet of which is restricted -pressure valve or aperture 21, thisoutlet passage being shown connected with the upper part of thedischarge pipe 5 past a c eck-valve 4 of a separate weight or spring,thus berk 49 and u the discharge pip'e 5. en most of the fluid has beenforced out of the chamber 49, the float valve 52 opens, permitting theflowing pressure to act on applied to the wallskof the near the bottom17 end of this pipe as d outside the volume f escapes through the oenings 18 and through the regulator pipe, al owing the head of liquid inthe well outside of the volume chamber to o en the inlet valve 50 and torefill or part y fill the volume chamber 49.

As soon asthc liquid falls away from the float valve 54, this val theoperating medium, which now enters the shot-hole, to pass through theinlet 53 and through the regulator pipe and the operating chamber 24'*so as to hold the main sure valve 17 closed. The entrance of liquidfilling the volume chamber causes the valve p1pe is again cut off, themain pressure valve is agam opened, and the liquid in the volume chamberis again discharged .upward through the pipe 5.

claim:

1. The method of flowing wellsy which comprises maintaining a backpressure on' an aeriform operating medium escaping from the well,utilizing the pressure of such mefrom the well, and utilizing fall inpressure in said medium due to rise of liguid in the well to bring aboutturning on o the aeriform flowing medium. .7 2. The method of flowingwells which comprises maintaining a back pressure on an aeriformoperating'medium escaping from ll, utilizing the pressure of such mekeepa flowing medium turned ofl' well, utilizing fall said medium due torise of liquid in the Well to .bring about turning on of the aeriformflowing medium, and utilizing pressure of he flowing medium to bringabout turning oil' of the aerifo'rm flowing medium when liquid has beenflowed out of the well.

3. The'method of flowing wells which comprises maintaining a backpressure on an aeriform operating medium`lescaping from the well, andutilizing the fall in pressure in said medium when escape thereof isobstructed by predetermined rise of' liquid in the well to turn on anaeriform flowing medium.

4. The method of flowing wells which comprisesapplying the pressure ofan operating medium escaping from the well to cause aeri- -form flowingmedium to be shutoff from the well during the period required for theliquid to head up, and obstructing the escape of the operating medium bya'predetermined rise ofli uidin the well so that the flowing medium t enflows the liquid out of the well, while keeping the path of escape ofoperat- \ing medium obstructed during the flowing period.

ve opens, permittingl 5. The method of flowing wells which comprisesutilizing the fall 1n pressure in an aeriform operating medium escapingfrom a well to turn on a flowing medium when the escape of the operatingmedium is obstructed by predetermined rise of liquid in the well.

6. The method of flowing wells which comprises keeping an aeriform owingmedium shut oil from the well during the period required for the liquidto aeriform operating medium from the well during such period,obstructing the escape Yof said operating medium by rise of liquid inthe well, utilizing the resulting change in condition in the path ofescape of the operatin medium to turn` on the flowing medium, keepingthe path of escape of the operating medium obstructed during the owingperiod, and thereafter reo ening said path.

7. Pneumatic we l-fiowing apparatus having a valve for turning on andoff the flowing medium, a conduit for conducting a flow of aeriformoperating medium from the well adapted to become obstructed onpredetermined rise of liquid in the well, said conduit provided with arestricted escape orifice, and means connected with said conduit forcontrolling said valve.

8. Pneumatic well-flowing apparatus, comprising a discharge tubeextending to the lower part of the well and having entrance openings forflowing medium at one or more points above its open lower end, means fordelivering the flowing medium to the well, a valve for turning on and 0Hthe flowing medium, a conduit for conducting a flow of operating mediumfrom the well adapted to become obstructed on predetermined rise ofliquid in the well, means opposing escape of operatin medium throughsaid discharge tube, an means connected with said conduit forcontrolling said valve.

9. Pneumatic well-flowing apparatus having a valve for turning on andoli the fiowing medium, a conduit for conducting a flow of operatingmedium from the well adapted to become obstructed on predetermined riseo 1i uid in the well, and means connected with said conduit forcontrolling said valve, there being means whereby sai conduit is keptobstructed by the pressure acting to flow the liquid out ofthe well.

10. Pneumatic well-flowing apparatus having a valve for turning on and othe flowing medium, a conduit for conducting a flow of operating mediumfrom the well, means connected with said conduit for controlling saidvalve, a valve subject to rise of li uid in the Well and to pressureduring the owing period for closing said conduit, and means forautomatically applying the pressure at the end of the flowin period tounseat the second-mentionedv ve.

11. Pneumatic well-flowing apparatus having a valve for turning-on andoff the flowhead up, conducting f on and off the a conduit forconducting a ow of operatin medium from the well adapted to become ostructed on predetermined rise of liquid in the well, and meansconnected with said conduit for controlling said valve, there beingmeans whereby said conduit is caused to remain obstructed during flowingand is thereafter automatically reopened for the escape of operatingmedium.

12. Pneumatic well-flowing apparatus having a valve for turning on andoff the iowing medium, a conduit for conducting a flow ofoperatingbmedium from the well adapted to become o structed onpredetermined rise of liquid in the well, means connected with saidconduit for controlling said valve, and means whereby the pressure ofthe flowing medium is applied at the end of the flowing period to bringabout closing of said valve.

13. Pneumatic well-flowing apparatus having a valve for turning on andolf the flowing medium, a conduit for conducting a flow of operatingmedium from the well adapted to become obstructed on predetermined riseof liquid in the well, means connected with said conduit for controllingsaid valve, means whereby said conduit is caused to remain obstructedduring flowing to be tlereafter automatically reopened, and mean forautomatically applying the flowing pressure at the end of the flowingperiod to bring about the closin of said valve.

14. neumatic well-owing apparatus having a valve for turning on and othe flowing medium, means for bleeding a portion of the floWin mediuminto the well to serve as an operating medium, a conduit for conductinga flow of said operating medium from the well adapted to becomeobstructed on predetermined rise of liquid in the well, said conduitprovided with a restricted escape orifice, and means connected with saidconduit for controlling said valve.

15. lPneumatic well-flowing apparatus including a discharge tube forconducting liquid from the well, a valve for turning flowing medium, aconduit for conducting a flow of operating medium from the well, meansconnected with said conduit for controlling said valve, and meansconnected with the upper part of the discharge conduit whereby thepressure therein toward the end of the flowing period is utilized tobring about closing of said valve.

16. Pneumatic well-flowing apparatus including a discharge tube forconducting liquid from the well, a valve for turning on and oft theflowing medium, a conduit for conducting a low of operating medium fromthe well, means connected with said conduit for controlling said valve,and a conduit leading from the upper part of the discharge conduit andconnected with said controlling means for communicatin pressure from thedischarge tube toward t e end of the owing medium,

plpe, a conduit for in period to bring about' closing of said v ve.

17. In well-owing apparatus, an eduction supplying aeriform fluid to thewell to flow liquid out through s'aid eduction pipe, a Valve 'in saidconduit, and means responsive to increased pressure in the upper part ofsaid eduction plpe to bring about closing of said valve.

RICHARD M. HASKELL. f

